stille



(No-Model.)

T. J. 8v 0. Q. STILLE.

FOLDING COOP 0R CRATE.

Patented May 29. 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

THEODORE J. STILLE AND OSCAR Q. STILLE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, AS, SIGNORS OF ONE-FIFTH TO JOHN A. MENOHE, OF SAME PLACE.

FOLDING COOP OR CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 383,833, dated May 29, 1888 Application filed December 27, 1887. Serial No. 259,014. (No model.)

To aZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, THEODORE J ULIAS STILLE and OSCAR Q. STILLE, of St. Louis, Missouri, have jointly made a new and useful Improvement in Folding Coops, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The features of thisimprovement, which relates more especially to the construction of the sides and ends of the coop, are hereinafter set forth in detail and noted in the claim, and are also illustrated in the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the improved coop unfolded; Fig. 2, a view in perspective of the coop folded; Fig. 3, a vertical cross-section of the coop partly unfolded; Fig. 4, a vertical longitudinal section of an end of the coop unfolded; Fig. 5, a similar section of the coop folded; Fig. 6, a detail showing the method of securing the side braces when the coop is unfolded; Fig. 7, a detail, being a vertical section of an end hinge; and Fig. 8, aview in perspective of the hinge-iron of the end hinge.

The same letters of reference denote the same parts.

The coop, generally considered, is of the usual slat-work construction, and in form a rectangular prism. Its bottom A is usually impert'orate. Its top B is composed of a series of longitudinally-extended slats, I), attached to cross-slats b, and at its edges 1) it is attached to the sides 0 O of the coop, and itis adapted, as hereinafter explained, to be raised and lowered as one part from and toward the bottom A. The sides 0 O are composed of longitudinal and vertical slats c c, and midway vertically, or thereabout, the sides are each divided into two parts, 0 and c, which at o and a respectively, are hinged to the bottom and roof, respectively, and at a hinged together to ena ble the side to fold, as indicated by its various to the lower half, 0 of the side 0, and when the coop is unfolded the upper portion 0 of the side brace meets the upper half, 0 of the side 0, and by means of the turnbuckle D, Figs. 1, 6, the upper portion of the side brace can be secured to the upper half of the side, substantially as shown, and the side 0 thereby be formed into a rigid support for the roof or top B, as represented in Fig. 1.

When the coop is to be folded, the turnbuckles are detached from the side portion 0, and when the coop is folded the upper end of the side brace is turned downward upon the bottom A.

T ends E of the coop are hinged to the top 1 t0 enable them to be turned down, as shown 111 Figs. 1, 4, or to be upturned to lie upon t e top when the coop is folded, as in Figs.

2, 5. To provide for turning the end to the extent described, a hinge substantially of the form shown at F, Figs. 1, 7, 8, is employed-- that is, the slats e of the end E, by means of a pin,f, Fig. 7, arejournaled in the flangesff of the hinge-iron F- The hinge-iron F, atf is riveted to the top slats b, and the hinge-iron made to come between two of the top slats b, and the hihge-iron is so shaped out atj' and the slate isjournaled at such a height in the flangesf and in such a manner therein as to enable the end slats, 6, when the end is folded upon the top B, to lie bet-ween the top slats b, as shown in Fig. 2.

When the coop is unfolded and the end E turned down to close the coop at its end, a bolt, G, which at its inner end is secured, as shown in Fig. 4, to the bottom A, is made at its outer end to pass through the slate of the end E, and with the aid of the nut g to close the end against the stop H upon the coop-bottom. \Vhen the coop is folded into aknockdown shape, Fig. 2, the same bolt, G, is made to serve as a tie, Fig. 5, to secure the end E upon the top B, to which end the bolt is passed, preferably through a perforation, b in a top slat, and then through the slat e of the end and the nut 9 applied to the bolt, as before.

The present improvement is adapted to avariety of receptacles, as well as to a coop. Fruitshippers, for instance, it can be well applied to. So far as the divided hinged and braced sides are concerned, the receptacle might be a closed as well as an open work one. The bottom A may be made either perforated or imperforated.

We claim- 5 The hereindescribed folding coop, the same consisting of the bottom, the top, and the sides, the two parts of which sides are severally hinged to the top and bottom of the crate and together, I

and provided with the side braces and the turnbuckles as described, and the ends hinged and I0 bolted, as set forth, all substantially as set forth.

THEO. J. STILLE. OSCAR Q. STILLE.

\Vitnesses:

O. D. MOODY, BENJ. A. SUPPAN. 

